Monthly Archives: February 2012

My haul from Mega Bloks at New York Toy Fair.

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I was extremely fortunate enough to even be able to attend this event. It was even more a surprise that I was given some of the following, let alone be able to win some at the Mega Brands LAN party.

First here is my haul, minus another copy of Reach, which I gave to my brother-in-law. As well minus the minifigs and prototypes (you will see those below).

Here is all of the die cast sets in a micro diorama:

Here is a look at the base plates combined:

Minifigs, translucent weapons, and prototypes!

She’s only one of two from what I’m told.

You can see to the right of the pic, the sprue on her head where she was attached to the completed mold.

Brute coolness! The headdress is a flexible plastic. The final will be sturdier, yet still somewhat flexible so it won’t break as easily.

 

For those wondering, the die cast line is about 1/4 the size of the regular bloks line. See in this comparison shot between the older Scorpion and the Die Cast one:

Thanks for checking out my blog as always, more to come!

Mega Bloks Die Cast Toy Review – Scorpion

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Microfigs: 2 Green Spartan Mark V’s, Purple Elite, Purple Grunt, DieCast Spartan Mark V
Accessories: 3 Base Plates (each approx 3 X 2 1/2 inches)
Special Features: tread sections move independently, actual treads move, cannon turns 360 and pivots up and down, cannon shoots “missle” (which is front of cannon), front driver hatch opens/closes
Dimensions: Length 4 inches (body only), Width 2.75 inches, Height 2.375 inches (not including antenna)

Price: $15.99 US (unconfirmed)

A well made set from the die cast line. The microfigs do not have any articulation, however that doesn’t deter me from owning the set. This set holds true to the larger set, with the exception of the missile button on the back of the cannon, which is a necessity. This Scorpion comes in green, which I think is a little strange since we haven’t been able to buy the full sized one in that color yet. Hopefully that will be made. The two top antennae are rubber so you won’t break them off easily. Likewise the tip of the cannon is rubber so it shouldn’t break anything, nor hurt you (just don’t shoot it straight into anyone’s eye). It doesn’t have enough force in the shot to go far, which is a good thing, so you don’t lose it.
With all the articulation the Scorpion has you can position it in many poses. Each tread section pivots up and down independently. The treads are rubber so no scratching up surfaces there (great!). The Spartan in the driver’s area can sit low and be covered up by the hatch or (as I’m doing), you can keep the plastic piece it sits on, under it, so that the microfig shows with the hatch open. I’m a solid fan of this die cast line from Mega Bloks, and highly recommend getting it. It’s a great set to further fill out your UNSC vehicles and ranks of figures.
Overall Rating: This set is fantastic. I wonder if it will come in tan or grey as it’s larger brother set did? This is a great micro version of the larger set.
I give this set a 10 medals out of 10.
And now onto the pics…
The packaging:
Instructions and contents:
The series of pics of the hatch show it opened, opened with the spartan all the way in (the plastic piece shown that it was previously sitting on), and hatch closed with spartan inside.
In this series of pics you can see how the cannon can turn and pivot. Also the button I’m pointing to is the button you push to launch the cannon missle:
These next two show how the tread sections can move independently, as well that the treads are rubber (and can move as well):
And finally the complete display (die cast figure not shown):
I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope you found it informative.

All in all a great set. I recommend getting it!

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Mega Bloks Die Cast Toy Review – Warthog

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Microfigs: Red Spartan Mark V driver, Red Marine Gunner, Die-Cast Elite Minor
Accessories: 2 Base Plates (each approx 3 X 2 1/2 inches)
Special Features: Independent all wheel suspension, turret turns 360.
Dimensions: Length 3.5 inches, Width 1.5 inches, Height 2 inches

Price: $9.99 US

A very cool set from the die cast line. The microfigs do not have any articulation, however that doesn’t deter me from owning the set. I’d have preferred the UNSC figures to be green, rather than team color red. Hopefully we’ll get that sometime down the line. No assembly required, it’s ready to go right out of the box. The Die Cast figure is sure to be a collectible in the future, so don’t lose them!
As you’ll see in the pics, the gunner has a hole at the feet to snap into the turret. As well, the turret has a peg to snap into the hole of the warthog. No doubt the hole in the hog is there for later iterations, those being the rocket and gauss hog variants (At least I hope so!).
This is a perfect recreation of the bloks set with one major alteration, that being the wheel suspension. It work off of a small track system that each front and back wheels are attached to. This give the wheels the opportunity to turn slightly as well as move up and down, ala suspension. It’s a great solution for a micro set. The wheels are rubber, so no worries about scratching up anything with them.
Overall Rating: This set is fantastic. I look forward to the Rocket hog and Gauss hog variants if they are made. This is a great micro version of the larger set.
I give this set a 10 medals out of 10.
And now onto the pics…
The packaged hog.
Instructions:
What you get in the package:
I love how the baseplates are micro on top, yet regular blok size on the bottom! Awesome.
Here are the gunner and turret assemblies (again these are already put together in the package though).
The warthog’s peg hole and wheel suspension track system:
The display!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope you found it informative.

All in all a great set. I recommend getting it!

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Mega Bloks Die Cast – Banshee

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Microfigs: White Elite Pilot, White Grunt, Die-Cast Marin
Accessories: 2 Base Plates (each approx 3 X 2 1/2 inches), clear connecting pieces to elevate Banshee
Special Features: Cockpit top opens and closes, rear flaps fold in and out
Dimensions: Wingspan: 3 1/2 inches Length and Height approx 2 1/2 inches each.

Price: $9.99 US ??? (Unconfirmed)

A cool set from the die cast line. The pilot figure has a hole in it’s abdomen to secure it to a peg in the cockpit. The microfigs to not have any articulation. I’d have preferred a different color elite. However, that isn’t the focal point of the set for me. It’s the Banshee itself. No assembly required, it’s ready to go right out of the box. The Die Cast figure is sure to be a collectible in the future, so don’t lose them!
Overall Rating: This set is plague with the one thing that made the full blok set near perfect. That being the cockpit cover. It isn’t game accurate. However, the die cast is accurate to it’s larger brother, so no points off there. I give this set a 9 medals out of 10. I had an issue with putting the clear larger peg into the base. When I used one of the other pieces it worked fine. Just be careful putting those in.
Here’s the gallery of pics!
Now on to the pics (for larger versions of the pics, please check out my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23683004@N06/sets/72157629361859589/)

I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope you found it informative.

All in all a great set. I recommend getting it!

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Mega Bloks Die Cast Battle Packs 2&3 Toy Review

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Since the figures are the same for both of these packs, except for the color, the review is the same for both.

Minifigs: Battle Pack 2: Blue Marine with Battle Rifle, Copper Grunt, Blue Mark V Spartan, Blue Marine with Rocket Launcher, Copper Elite, Die Cast Brute; Battle Pack 3:  Red Marine with Battle Rifle, White Grunt, Red Mark V Spartan, Red Marine with Rocket Launcher, White Elite, Die Cast EVA Spartan

Dimensions: Each figure ranges between 3/4 inch-1 inch tall.
Price/Value: $5.99-6.99 US per battle pack depending on store.

These sets are great for filler to a diorama. The added Die Cast figure is nice and if you happen to bump another die cast against it they make a nice “clink” sound, telling you they are indeed metal. The plastic figures are a little soft. That’s not a bad thing though. It means you shouldn’t have an easy time breaking those. I suspect they’ll hold up to semi-rough play, though don’t let them near baby or animal teeth… When taking these out of the package I recommend popping them out from the bottom, rather than trying to pull them out from the top. Seemed to work easier for me.

As you can see in the pics the microfigs are imprinted on the under side of the base with the Mega Bloks logo.

For the price of $6-7 these sets hold their value. At $1 or just above each, their great. Certainly the Die Cast figure will be the hot one for collectors.

There are actually 5 different battle packs. I got these two at Toy Fair. The others will be reviewed at a later date once I have them in my hands.

 Overall Rating: This is a new line and can figure in well into just about any Halo diorama as background figures or a totally small scale diorama. I like the blue set just a tinge better because it has the game accurate copper grunt. I give these sets both 9.5 medals out of 10. I just a slight bit concerned for the soft plastic, otherwise these would have received a full 10 from me.
And now for the pics:
Now on to the pics (for larger versions of the pics, please check out my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23683004@N06/sets/72157629359686467/)

I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope you found it informative. All in all a great set. I recommend getting it!

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New York Toy Fair 2012 McFarlane – The unpackaged toys!

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Continuing on with HFFL’s McFarlane coverage at New York Toy Fair 2012, we have pics of the toys on display out of the packaging.

Sadly we will not be seeing the full sized Banshee or Falcon come to light. I asked Mark Weber (Brand Manager for McFarlane) about these and he stated the Falcon would have been a cost of around $115 retail. Retailors weren’t picking it up to buy. A real shame too. It’s an AWESOME vehicle. I’d have bought one for sure. That Banshee is just plain SWEET! I hope that goes up for charity auction or the like. I’d at least like a chance to own it.

For higher res pics, please check out my flickr account:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23683004@N06/sets/72157629346652781/ 

New York Toy Fair – McFarlane Halo Action figure series.

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McFarlane Toys booth was amazing. While this site is centered around Halo only, McFarlane did have some great stuff from their sports lines as well as Spawn.

I was fortunate enough to have a 45 minute talk with Mark Weber, Brand manager at McFarlane. We discussed not only the Micro Ops line, but also the action figure line as well. Even though he’s mostly a Sports guy with McFarlane, he still seemed knowledgeable with the Halo line as well. Unfortunately, Todd himself wasn’t there and wouldn’t be until the next day. By that time I was already on my way back home. Ah well, maybe next year.

Mark and I started to discuss the line and went over to the carded wall. As you can see by the following pics McFarlane has several sub lines within the main line of Halo.

Click on pics for larger versions

Here is the wall first:

To the furthest left is the micro ops line. To the immediate right of that is the Halo Anniversary line, series 2. This line will become Halo Universe. Next to that the Halo 4 line. Note that these were all mock-ups and only Cortana and Master Chief were shown due to the MicroSoft embargo on Halo 4 info being released. To the right of that is the Halo Universe line. and finally the last of the Reach specific series.

Below these on the shelves were the boxed sets. McFarlane really outdid themselves with these sets. There had been a different set-up to the boxed sets previously. However, one of which was combined to make the fuller Team Objective set. Note that the Halo 4 set in the lower left corner is a mock-up only. Noble team will NOT be in Halo 4. They were FPO (for placement only).
Top left we see the Spirit of Fire team. Three Spartan Mk V’s. Each with their own weapons and specific markings. You’ll see a better shot later of these uncarded.
In the center of the pic is the Invasion set and below that the Generator Defense set. I’m really liking the Invasion set since it comes with BOTH power cores (UNSC and Covenant).
To the right of those is the ever so sweet Team Objective set. This set has most of the regular objective pieces, with 3 flags, a capture plate, both the UNSC and Covenant bombs and several “Headhunter” skulls, not to mention a Res Spartan. Very cool set indeed.
To the bottom of that is the Noble Team set. If you didn’t get these carded before or want to display them as a team in nice packaging, this is the set for you.

Finally for the Packages shots we have (and sorry for the blurry pic, best one I had of these, unfortunately), two Halo figs (I don’t know which they are to be and McF wasn’t telling, LOL.
Next to that is a mockup of the Hunter. You’ll see the loose version later. I asked if this was the same as the previous Hunter. They weren’t sure.
To the right of that the AWESOME ODST drop pod. This is going to retail for around $40 and I have to say it looks to be worth every penny of it. In the loose pic you’ll see just how much detail there is in it. It has several moving parts and comes with either the Rookie or a “generic” ODST.
Lastly, the Halo 3 Co-op Multi-figure pack. Included are Master Chief, the Arbiter, an Elite Minor (Blue), and the Crimson Flight Elite. If I’m not mistaken the Crimson Elite is new as it hasn’t been done in that color. Hmm, I’ll get that set and have the MC and Arby be given as prizes here for a contest later.

Check back later today for the loose pics!

New York Toy Fair – McFarlane Halo Micro Ops line

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There are no less than 3 small scale lines of Halo Toys this year. McFarlane Toys Halo Micro Ops line is in a realistic style. Every piece in scale with one another. The difference between McFarlane’s and Jada Toys line is firstly price. I was not able to attend the Jada booth at Toy Fair as they were only allowing buyers in their booth. I do know they only had mockups. Anyway, McFarlane Toys was only too happy to give me a tour of their booth with a heavy concentration on their Halo lines. I spoke with Mark Weber Sports Project/Brand Manager with McFarlane for about 45 minutes.

During this discussion the topic of the other micro lines came up. I asked him his thoughts on this. To paraphrase he said that each line has an appeal to different people. With McFarlane’s line being realistic and affordable he believes it will be a huge success. I’m very inclined to agree with him, especially after seeing their product.

Hmm, so I guess you want to see those pics now???

Well, okay, because I love you.

As you can see by the detail, these are excellently sculpted. But then, we’d expect nothing less from McFarlane and they do hold up to the larger line.

I’m really excited for this line as I will now be able to create “forced perspective” dioramas. This is where you have larger scale objects in front and smaller scale objects in back therefore making a diorama look bigger and deeper than it actually is. Plus with the cost being very affordable it will be easy to amass a huge army!

Package shots are mostly mockups. So look for that product to change.

Look for these starting in Summer this year!

For larger pictures, please check out my flickr account:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23683004@N06/sets/72157629335596455/

New York Toy Fair-McFarlane Halo Avatar figures

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I was first skeptical of this line, but after seeing it in person, they are cute and not like the vinyl or bobblehead figures so many companies make. With the price being around $3 for the small ones, I’ll get them. I didn’t get a price on the larger one (Carter).

These aren’t due out for awhile yet and it looks like they are BLIND packaging. So that’s one thing that does hinder the line. At least for me. I’m not a fan of blind packaging.

The small ones will be just a few inches high. They separate at the head and hips so you can mix and match them!